Surgical approaches to correct corneal astigmatism at time of cataract surgery: a mini-review.

Among refractive errors, astigmatism is the most common optical aberration, where refraction changes in different meridians of the eye. It causes blurred vision at any distance and includes corneal, lenticular, and retinal astigmatism. Cataract surgery used to cause a progressive increase in the pre-exisiting corneal astigmatism because of creating a surgically induced astigmatism, for example, a large size surgery incision.

ADAMTS5 promotes neovascularization via autophagic degradation of PEDF in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) adversely affects visual function. Extracellular matrix proteins (ECM) contribute significantly to the development of PDR. A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS5) is a member of ECM proteins.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the related factors for diabetic retinopathy.

Background: The related factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) had attracted the attention of many scholars, and a large number of articles had been published, but the research results were not consistent. A meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize recent evidence, aiming at exploring the relationship between DR and multiple risk factors.

Methods: The China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, Wanfang, PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases were searched.

The levels and significance of inflammasomes in the mouse retina following optic nerve crush.

Inflammasomes play an important role in neuroinflammation. However, their function during the secondary death of retinal cells after traumatic optic neuropathy and their dependence on pathogen stimuli remains unclear. Therefore, we evaluated the expression profiles of 10 different inflammasome-related mRNAs in the retina following an optic nerve crush (OPC) injury under both conventional sterile as well as non-sterile conditions, and validated two significantly varied ones on a protein level.

Amino-Nogo inhibits optic nerve regeneration and functional recovery via the integrin αv signaling pathway in rats.

Background: Nogo-A, a major myelin-associated inhibitor, can inhibit injured optic nerve regeneration. However, whether Amino-Nogo is the most important functional domain of Nogo-A remains unknown. This study aimed to identify the role of Amino-Nogo following optic nerve injury, and the mechanism of the Amino-Nogo-integrin αv signaling pathway in vivo.

Fluctuations in intraocular pressure increase the trabecular meshwork extracellular matrix.

Background/aims: The trabecular meshwork (TM) tissue is constantly exposed to dynamic stress caused by intraocular pressure (IOP). The effects of such biomechanical stress on the TM have not been analyzed. This study developed an animal model of fluctuating IOP and evaluated the effects of these fluctuations on TM tissue.

Inhibition of retinal ganglion cell axonal outgrowth through the Amino-Nogo-A signaling pathway.

Nogo-A is a myelin-derived inhibitor playing a pivotal role in the prevention of axonal regeneration. A functional domain of Nogo-A, Amino-Nogo, exerts an inhibitory effect on axonal regeneration, although the mechanism is unclear. The present study investigated the role of the Amino-Nogo-integrin signaling pathway in primary retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with respect to axonal outgrowth, which is required for axonal regeneration.

Association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and primary open-angle glaucoma: a meta-analysis.

Epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) risk. However, the results remain conflicting. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MTHFRC677T polymorphism and POAG risk.

Clinical features of ankylosing spondylitis associated with acute anterior uveitis in Chinese patients.

Aim: To characterize the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Chinese patients.

Methods: Two hundred and three patients with uveitis associated with AS followed-up in the Third Military Medical University Daping Hospital between 2005 and 2010 were retrospectively evaluated in this study. Complete ophthalmological examinations were evaluated at baseline and during the follow-up period.

A case of circumscribed choroidal hemangioma in Sturge-Weber syndrome in China.

We present a case of circumscribed choroidal hemangioma (CCH) in Sturge-Weber syndrome in a 30-year-old woman with congenital port-wine stains on the left side of face involving the upper eyelid, cheek and the nose, and she had undergone facial hemangioma surgery 3 years ago suggestive of Sturge-Weber syndrome. She presented with a 1-month history of rapidly decreased visual acuity (VA) to counting fingers in the left eye which had no prior history of visual problem. And there was no evidence of glaucoma.

Effect of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells in the development of anterior chamber-associated immune deviation.

Aim: To investigate whether CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells play a role in the development of anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID).

Methods: The dynamic changes in the frequency of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells, CD4(+)CD25(+) FoxP3(+) T cells and CD4(+)CD25(+) PD-1(+) T cells from spleens of mice with ACAID were analyzed by flow cytometry. Foxp3 mRNA expression in purified CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells was analyzed using real-time PCR.

Bietti crystalline dystrophy with bilateral macular holes.

Objective: Bietti crystalline dystrophy is a rare form of tapetoretinal degeneration associated with retinal crystalline deposits. However, Bietti crystalline dystrophy is extremely unusually associated with macular hole formation. A 32-year-old man with Bietti crystalline dystrophy and bilateral macular holes is described.

The expression patterns of Nogo-A and NgR in the neonatal rat visual nervous system.

Previous studies have shown that Nogo-NgR system plays multiple roles in controlling axonal regeneration and neuronal plasticity. However, the investigation on the distributions of Nogo and NgR was limited to restricted areas or special ages, and their expression patterns in the neonatal visual nervous system is still unknown. Frozen sections were made from eyeballs and brains of three neonatal rats, and expression of Nogo and NgR proteins were examined by immunofluorescence under a laser confocal microscopy.

[Effects of connective tissue growth factor antisense oligonucleotides on the cultured human keloid fibroblasts in vitro].

Objective: To explore the effects of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) on the pathogenesis of human keloid.

Methods: CTGF antisense oligonucleotides (ASODN) conjugated with isothiocyanate fluorescence was encapsulated by liposome, and then added into the human keloid fibroblast (HKF) culturing media. The intracellular distribution of CTGF ASODN was observed with fluorescence microscopy in the fixed HKF.

[Collagen synthesis and expression of connective tissue growth factor in the cultured fibroblasts of human hypertrophic scar].

Objective: To explore the effect of connective tissue growth factor on the pathogenesis of human hypertrophic scar.

Methods: Normal skin and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts were cultured in vitro. The collagen synthesis of fibroblasts were measured by H3-proline incorporation method.

[Effects of antisense oligonucleotides on the expression of connective tissue growth factor gene and on the collagen synthesis in the cultured human keloid fibroblasts].

Objective: To study the role of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in the pathogenesis of human keloid.

Methods: Human keloid fibroblasts (HKF) were isolated from human keloid and cultured in vitro. The cells were then divided into 3 groups according to different processing, i.

[Expression of connective tissue growth factor gene in the hypertrophic scar and keloid tissue].

Objective: To explore the effect of connective tissue growth factor on the pathogenesis of hypertrophic scar and keloid tissue.

Methods: The content of hydroxyproline was determined and the expression of connective tissue growth factor gene was detected by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and image analysis technique in 5 normal skins, 15 hypertrophic scars and 7 keloid tissues.

Results: The contents of hydroxyproline in the hypertrophic scar (84.